Volume 2 - CH 74

Alme left the house with Ena and Ayden and they said their goodbyes on the main street. They are now going to visit their relatives.

Alme headed alone to another “Titty’s shop” or whatever it is called.

As she had been told, she walked toward the center of the city from the east district and saw the shop. It had a glaring, gaudy appearance.

She slowed down her walking speed and looked up at the sign seriously.

Above the front door of the shop was, indeed, a sign that read Titty’s Shop. It was a much larger sign than the one at Alme’s, but the colors and design were the same.

However, compared to the tasteful Alme shop signboard, the signboard of this shop had a sophisticated finish.

The sign for Alme’s shop was handmade by her grandmother.

White letters on a blue background. The shop name is written in her grandmother’s cursive style. The small flower illustration that surrounds the letters were also drawn by her grandmother.

Alme stood blankly in front of the shop.

“Wow…Titty’s shop, it’s really up and running. Isn’t that a coincidence…?”

Below the signboard is a banner with the inscription “Ice Desserts”. It seems that not only the signboard but also the products offered are the same.

The opening is next month, and it seems that they are preparing now.

“…Why is it our shop?”

Did they really need to go to the trouble of recreating a sign from a shop down in the alley?

Ice cream itself is not something that is exclusive to Alme. Recipes are something that will eventually spread to the world.

If someone took notice of the ice cream at Alme’s and decided that they too wanted to open such a dessert shop, there was no stopping them.

It is a bit strange that even the name of the shop and her grandmother’s handmade sign are duplicated exactly, though.

She didn’t know if it’s a signboard of a famous shop, but why Titty’s shop…

Near Alme, other passersby were also looking at the shop. They were probably intrigued by the unusual new dessert shop. Children and families of ordinary people were chatting happily.

“Ice dessert… heh, it’s a cold dessert. It looks delicious.”

“Would you like to come when it opens?”

“Even Shirotaka ice cream! I want to try it!”

(Shirotaka ice cream…?)

Alme approached the shop and received a flier from a man who seemed to be related to the shop. The planned opening date and the product menu are written.

In the menu, there was the words “Shirataka ice cream”. There are no illustrations, but there is a high possibility that something similar will be served.

Alme was looking at the flier with a reluctant look on her face when suddenly someone snatched it away from her.

The one who snatched the flier was a woman with fairly white hands. Alme was startled when she confirmed the owner of her hand.

Before she knew it, Campbellina was standing by her side.

She has peachy, fluffy blonde hair and a full bosom despite her petite size. A voluminous and sexy dress. Alme felt a slight heartburn at the sight of this woman, whom she had not seen in a long time.

Campbellina waved her hand roughly as if to drive away Alme.

“Miss Black Mouse, please don’t stop in front of my shop. It will spoil the image of the shop.”

“Miss Campbellina…!? Wait, what do you mean by your shop!? The shop sign is the same as ours!”

“I don’t know your shop’s sign. This is our sign. It’s an ice cream shop that the chefs of the Desmond family use their skills to make. The cheap-looking commoners who don’t fit the dress code aren’t our customers. , don’t touch the leaflets.”

“Chefs… dress code…!?”

According to Campbellina, this is her ice cream shop, and it seems to be a high-class shop. They plan to hire a chef to provide a full-fledged dessert.

Conceding a hundred steps, it doesn’t matter in itself. It doesn’t matter if there’s a shop that chooses its customers, and even if she suddenly wakes up to an ice cream shop for some reason.

But what about the name of the shop?

“I won’t interfere in your business itself. But I can’t overlook your name and sign! Why did you bother to make them the same? Don’t tell me you are trying to get back at me for the last time at the bank?”

“What a mess! I don’t care about getting revenge on you. I don’t care about dirty mice.”

Campbellina turned her back on Alme and smiled a coy, nasty smile.

“Well then, I don’t have time to chat with a black mouse, so go back to your back alley.”

While saying so, she walked to the entrance of the shop.

Along the way, she chased away children who picked up flyers and families who stopped in front of the store to look at the banners.

“This is not a shop for commoners, so don’t come near here in your shabby clothes, it’ll lower the status of the shop.”

“What? You shouldn’t talk like that…”

“…Let’s go, dear.”

“It would be nice to at least look at the flier!”

Those who had gathered scattered with complicated expressions on their faces.

The sight of people being turned away lingered in her mind’s eye. Confused couples, dismayed children, groups of women walking away with miffed looks on their faces.

Even though they were looking at the signboard of the shop while chatting happily until just now.

It was her grandmother’s cherished shop, and now it is important to Alme as well. She never thought she would see such a sorry sight under the sign of ‘Titty’s Shop’…

Unfocused frustration and sadness make my heart tighten.

Alme picked up a flier that had fallen at her feet. Once again she looked at the menu of Campbellina’s ice cream shop.

“What should I do, grandma…the name of the shop was taken… Shirotaka ice cream too…”

She muttered with a sigh.

As if in response to her voice, a flicker of light flashed across the lower part of her field of vision.

The necklace Falk had given her sparkled in the sunlight.

It’s another sunny day in Luorio, and the sun is shining brightly. White clouds drift lazily across the shining blue sky.

As she stood there looking up at the sky in dismay, she suddenly remembered the day her grandmother entered the hospice at the Temple. There were clouds floating lazily in the sky that day, too.

Alme was very sad that her grandmother was going to live in hospice, and she was extremely depressed.

To this listless Alme, her grandmother said with a bright smile on her hospital bed.

“Alme, go for a little walk on the main street. Under the blue sky, wave your hands as hard as you can and walk with long strides. Don’t worry about what other people think, just walk with all your might. If you do that, the mood in your heart will be completely changed.”

Alme raised her head as she remembered her grandmother’s words. She clutched a shiny necklace and walked down the street.

She tried to walk more vigorously than usual, though she couldn’t go as far as to say that she was doing well.

After walking for a while, she started to feel refreshed. The frustration and sadness that had filled her chest just moments ago faded away.

The air in her chest changed, and the dark feeling disappeared.

Instead, it was clean, clear, and refreshing…and she was fuming.

“I still can’t allow them to put up a sign and the name ‘Titty’s Shop’ and turn people away from the city like that.”

She clenched her fist, complaining angrily without worrying about being seen.

She should stop worrying alone. For now, she should talk to everyone. She’ll gather the friends of the ice cream shop and hold an emergency meeting.

Alme walked down the street with big steps with a strong, miffed look on her face.

This may not be what her grandmother meant by ‘change of pace’, but… well, she’s regained her energy for the time being, so she’s okay with it.

By the time she reached home, she was already walking with slow, heavy steps.